Kitchen Hacks: 5 Substitutes To Replace Vanilla Extract In Your Baking

There is a certain joy and pride in being able to bake our own cake, the sense of accomplishment one feels after taking out a perfectly baked dish is extremely satisfying! It is one of the reasons why we love baking, besides the pleasure of eating the sweet baked good. And, the craving to bake ourselves a brownie or a muffin can occur any time, even at midnight. So, we take out all the ingredients – eggs, sugar, flour, cocoa powder – only to find that we don’t have any vanilla extract left. What to do then? Fret not! We have your back; we have found five substitutes for vanilla extract that one can easily find at home.

Also Read: Baking Hacks: 10 Important Baking Steps We Often Miss Out

Here Are 5 Substitutes For Vanilla Extract:

1.Honey

Honey is an excellent substitute for vanilla extract. The ratio for the use of honey in any baking recipe as a replacement for vanilla extract is the same! If the recipe calls for one teaspoon of vanilla extract, then add one teaspoon of honey instead. Since honey has a sweet flavour, unlike vanilla essence, then you may want to reduce the sugar content of the recipe.

Also Read: 11 Amazing Benefits of Honey For Weight Loss, Hair and Skin

2.Citrus Zest

The zest of any citrus fruit, lime, lemon or orange, is also a good replacement for vanilla extract. The flavourful zest shall balance the flavours of the cake without making it taste sour. A pinch full of zest shall do the trick.

Also Read: Beat The Cold Naturally: 5 Interesting Ways To Include Citrus In Your Diet

3.Rum/Bourbon/Brandy

Vanilla extract actually has alcohol in it! To make vanilla extract, vanilla pods are soaked in alcohol for a long time. Therefore, it is perfectly fine to replace vanilla essence with alcohol in cakes and muffins. To substitute vanilla extract with alcohol, simply follow a 1:1 ratio.

4.Cinnamon/Cardamom/Nutmeg

If your vanilla flavour is not essential to the recipe and is merely being added to subvert the smell of the egg, then you can easily replace it with spices like cinnamon powder, cardamom powder or nutmeg powder. For this, a pinch of spice is good enough.

5.Coffee Powder

For chocolate flavoured recipes, like chocolate cakes, chocolate muffins, etc., coffee is a great substitute for vanilla. Adding coffee enhances the chocolate flavour and makes it even more delicious. You don’t need to add a spoon full of coffee, just simply add a pinch or two, and you are good to go.

Also Read: International Coffee Day: 5 Best Coffee Recipes To Celebrate With

Try out these substitutes and let us know which one is your favourite in the comments section below!